HOLYOKE – A man charged with being in possession of a handgun without a permit was being held on $5,000 bail Tuesday after pleading innocent in Holyoke District Court Monday.

The Police Department’s narcotics unit with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were conducting anti-gang and narcotics investigations in the area of Sargeant and Maple streets Friday night when officers attempted to stop a car with its lights off.

Before stopping the car, detectives saw a passenger throw something from the window. They then found a loaded 9 mm handgun nearby, police said.

Police arrested Ricardo Vargas, 25, of Holyoke, and charged him with carrying a firearm and ammunition without a license and possession of a loaded firearm. He is being held on bail.

Police also arrested Jared Sanjurjo-Reyes, 32, of Chicopee, in the stop. He was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, failure to stop for police and a motor vehicle lights violation. He was released on bail after his arraignment Monday. The amount of bail was unavailable.